Grading-machine.



T. R. McKNlGHT.

GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20. l9l4.

Patented May 7, 1918.

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GRADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JULY 20. I914.

Patented May 7,1918.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 20. I914.

Patented May 7,1918.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. MOKNIGHT, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN WHEELEDSCBAIER COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GRADING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May '7, 1918.

Application filed July 20, 1914. Serial No. 852,010.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS ER. Mo-

KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grading-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompan ing drawings.

y invention relates to grading machines and it has for its object toimprove the construction of the steering devices for the front wheels ofthe carriage and the devices for extending and adjusting the position ofwheels, showlng the devices for adjusting the same;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4, of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, in which I have illustrated my improvementsas applied to a grading machine of the type shown and described in mypending application, Serial No. 33,026, filed June 9, 1915, in which thescraper-blade is arranged to be moved endwise upon its support 10-11indicate the side-bars of the main frame of the carriage, which arepreferably Z-shape in cross-section. Said side-bars are spaced asuitable distance apart and are connected by braces so as to make astrong, rigid frame. The end portions of said bars are curved downward,as shownin Fig. 1, so that the intermediate portion of the carriageframe is higher than the end portions thereof, as shown. wheels, whichare mounted upon spindles carried by a front' axle 13, which isconnected in any suitable way, as by a bolster 12 indicates the front.

14, with the lower member 15 of a fifth wheel. 16 indicates a draft-barconnected with the front axle, and 17 indicates" the tongue wh ch isconnected to a strap, 18 wh chas pivoted at 19 to the draft-bar 16. 20nd1cates a curved rack-bar having teeth on its concave side, whichextends across the tongue 17, preferably at the under side thereof, andis connected at its ends with forwardly-extending bars 21--22 connectedwith the end portions of the axle 13, as shown in Fig. 2. 23 indicates abracket secured to the under side of the tongue 17 and extending underthe rack-bar 20 for supporting the same. The rack-bar 20 is adapted toswing to one side or the other to turn the front axle 13 and thus steerthe machine. For the purpose of swingin said rack-bar, I provide a shaft24 vertically mounted at the rear end portion of the tongue, as shown inFig; 2, said shaft carrying a pinion 25 which meshes with the teeth ofthe rack-bar 20. 26 indicates a worm-wheel, also carried by the shaft2-1 which meshes with a worm 27 journaled in suitable hearings in abracket 28 mounted upon the upper side of the tongue, said bracket alsobeing provided with a bearing for the upper part of the shaft 24. Theworm 27 is rotated by a hand-wheel 30 conveniently disposed on theintermediate portion of the carriage frame, upon the rear end of a shaft31 which is mounted in suitable bearings, as 3233, and is connected by auniversal joint 34, shaft 35, and universal joint 36 with the worm 27.Thus by rotating the hand-wheel 30 the rack-bar 20 may be moved ineither direction to steer the machine in the desired direction.

The rear axle of the machine is composed of two parallel members 37-38which, in the construction illustrated, are square in cross-section andare fitted in a rectangular frame 39 which holds them in contact witheach other. One end of said frame 39 is mounted on a vertical pivot 40which is fitted in a box-like bracket 41 secured to one of the side-barsof the carriage, as 1 1, the

arrangement being such as to permit the opposite end of the frame 39 toswing forward and backward about the pivot 40 as an axis. The oppositeend of said frame 39 extends into another box-like bracket 42 which issecured to the other side-bar 10 of the carria eand is rovided on itsunder surface 'wit a slight y. curved rack-bar 43, as best shown in Fig.4. At this end of the frame 39 there is rovided a shaft 44 carrying apinion 45 w ich meshes with the rackar 43, and a worm-wheel 46 whichmeshes with a. worm 47 carried at the lower end of a rod 48 fitted in .abearing 49-prov1ded at one side of the frame 39, as shown in Fig. 4. The

lines at 51+52in Fig. 3, the rack 51 being arranged to mesh with apinion 53 carried at the lower end of a rod 54, and the rack 52 meshingwith a pinion 55 carried at the lower end of a rod 56. 57-58 indicate,

hand-wheels at the upper ends of the rods 54-56,-respectively as shownin F1 2. Thus by means of these hand-wheels elther member of the rearaxle may be projected or retracted inde endently of the other and alsoindependent y of the angular relation of the rear axle as a whole to theline of draft. 59-60 indicate the rear wheels, which are mounted,respectively, upon the axle members 37-38, as shown in Fig. 3. 61indicates a platform provided for the operator at the rear end of. themachine, as Shown in- Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the

forward ends of the side-bars 10-11 are connected by a bracket 62 withthe upper member 63 of the fifth wheel.

From the foregoingdescription it will be apparent that the front wheelsare steered when in operation b means of the handwheel 30 and that t erear axle may also be swun about the pivot 40, by operating the ban-wheel 50, to steer the rear portion of the machine in either direction.Thus the machine may be very accurately and quickly guided along anydesired path. When desired, either of the rear wheels may b; extended byoperating the hand-wheels 5 -58.

The construction shown and described for mounting and adjusting thescraper-blade is not herein claimed, as it forms the subjectmatter of mypending application hereinbefore referred to.

s It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to thespecific details of the construction shown and described, except in sofar as they are particularly claimed, as my invention includesgenerically the subject-matter of the broader claims.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Lettersatent, is,

1. In a grading machine, the combmation axis, the ivot of said axlebeing adjacent a 'to one si e of the frame, wheels mounted on the endportions of said axle, and means for swinging said axle horizontallyabout said pivot to simultaneously adjust said wheels angularly.

2. In a grading machine, the combination of a frame, a rear axlepivotally connected with said frame to swing about a vertical axis, thepivot of said axle being adjacent to one side of the frame, wheelsmounted on the end portions of said axle, andrack and pinion mechanismfor swinging said axle horizontally about said pivot to simultaneouslyadjust said wheels angularly.

3. In a grading machine, the combination of a frame, a rear axlepivotally connected with said frame adjacent to one side thereof andadapted to swing horizontally, a rack connected to the frame adjacentthe opposite side thereof, a pinion carriedby the axle and meshing withsaid rack, a rod mounted on the axle and having a worm and Worm-Wheelfor rotating said pinion, and a hand-wheel for rotating said rod.

4. In a grading machine, the combination of-a frame, a rear axlepivotally connected with said frame to swing about a vertical pivot,said axle being composed of extensible members, the pivot of said axlebeing adjacent to one side of the frame, and means for swinging saidaxle horizontally about said pivot.

5. In a grading machine, the combination of. a frame, a rear axlepivotally'connected with said frame to swing about a vertical axis, saidaxle being composed of extensible members, the pivot of said axle beingadjacent to one side of the frame, and rack and inion mechanism forswinging said axle orizontally about said pivot.

6. In a grading machine, the combination of a frame, a rear axlepivotally connected with said frame adjacent to one side thereof andadapted to swing horizontally, said axle being composed of extensiblemembers, a rack connected to the frame adjacent the opposite sidethereof, a pinion carried by the axle and meshing with said rack, a rodmounted on the axle and havin a worm and worm-Wheel for rotating saidpinion, and a hand-wheel for rotating said rod.

7. In a grading machine, the combination of a, frame, a rear axlepivotally connected with said frame to swing about a vertical axis, thepivot of said axle being adjacent to one side of the frame, wheelsmounted on theend portions of said axle, means for 8. In a gradingmachine, the combination said pivot, front wheels supporting the forof aframe, a rear axle pivotally connected ward portion of said frame, andmeans for with said frame to swing about avertical steering said frontwheels. pivot, said axlebeing composed of extensi- THOMAS R. McKNIGHT.

I ble members, the pivot of said axle being Witnesses:

adjacent to one side of the frame, means H. D. IIAMPER, for swingingsaid axle horizontally about H. O. KILLIAN.

